PR expects Rs6 billion more income this year, says minister

LAHORE - Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Sunday that the department generated Rs21.30 billion revenue during June 2013 to April 2014. Addressing a press conference at Railways Headquarter, the minister, however, avoided to inform journalists about the Railways’ deficit during the same period.“Railways faced Rs29.70 billion deficit during last fiscal year but it will certainly go down in current year,” he held. The PR was expected Rs 6 billion more income in current fiscal year than the previous year, added Saad Rafique while presenting past 10-month’s performance of the department. To a question, he replied the Business Train management either has to clear the Railways dues or they would go behind the bar along with paying the dues. He said the case of Royal Palm was fixed for hearing in Supreme Court and decision would be accepted. “The Railways earned Rs5.27 billion in past ten months and it is more than the earning of previous year’s same period,” he said.He announced that the Railways decided to restore Shahsawar Express train from Lahore to Sialkot via Narang, Narowal and Pasrur which would earn Rs 60 million per year for the PR and it would facilitate 850 passengers daily. Railways was re-launching Jund shuttle train from Attock to Jund and it would facilitate 18,000 passengers every month, he added. Running time of Tezgam Express train reduced to 25 hours and 45 minutes from 26 hours and 25 minutes after the management decided to cancel different stoppage, he informed and announced that Islamabad Railcar would now run from Lahore Cantt and it was going to plan to attach one business class coach with all four railcars to facilitate passengers. “All three racks of Tezgam have been changed with state of the art and more comfortable Chinese coaches. Number of coaches in Bahuddin Zekria Express has been increased from 12 to 15,” said Khawaja Saad. The minister said that capacity of luggage vans had been increased from 10 to 15 tons. “The Railways management has decided to provide fresh dinner and breakfast to the passengers of Karachi Express by including its cost in tickets,” he said, adding the passengers would be served fresh food at Railways stations of Sahiwal, Multan, Haiderabad and Karachi. He said the Railways would be turn into profitable department after starting coal transportation for power plants and department was working contracting foreign companies for arrangement of open trucks and high capacity locomotives for the purpose. He said the Railways management had decided to restore locomotive and carriage factories of Resalpur and Rawalpindi as a joint venture programme with foreign companies, he added.